Wow! I'm glad I shared all this with you Eric! I am not really surprised to learn that my Barca files are in a mess, but I hadn't realised the Trojan had done so much damage.

Anyway, I'll start by seeing if I can download Barca 2.8 to my F drive in a new folder. If that goes OK I'll come back to you. I'm only getting a short period to work on this each night as I work long hours a good distance away from home, and then I have family commitments too.

I had a little play with my Barca folders and files tonight and I think we need a different strategy:

I followed your suggestion and sent C Drive /Programs / BARCA 2.5 to the Recycle bin. Unfortunately this caused me to actually lose Barca! Fortunately I was able to immediately restore it from the Recycle Bin, but it does show that for some reason both folders - BARCA 2.5 & BARCA 2 are needed.

There are a number of FILES in C Drive / Programs / BARCA 2 that you say should be Folders - eg cache.mbx, diary.mbx, emoticoms mx (even mail.mbx) etc. In fact, all the ones you point out are shown as '0 kb' in size. I assume this means they are empty, but windows can't open them anyway.

In C Drive / Programs / BARCA I have two FILES both called "barca" and you ask why there are two, saying one should be an .exe file and the other an .ini? One is '8 kb' in size and described as "Configuration Settings 11.07.09" (I am writing this message just after midnight, but I think this date updated itself just before midnight when I deleted and then restored the Barca 2.5 folder), the other is '9,745 kb' in size and described as "Application 05.04.09".

Further down my list there is a FILE called "Copy of Barca" and you say you don't what this means. It is '8 kb' in size and described as "Configuration Settings 11.11.07". I am wondering if this file created itself when I upgraded from Barca 2 to 2.5, which would have been around then I think?

Anyway, whatever is right or wrong about my folders and files, the bottom line is that when I first downloaded the Barca 2.8 upgrade at the end of April 2009 and tried to import all my email to it, it only imported mails dated up to 17 Nov 2007. This is still the mystery because the Mail Folder in C Drive / Programs / BARCA 2 (the only Mail folder) is very large in size and appears to have all the latest folders and mails in it. Clearly, Barca 2.8's import function isn't finding this folder, or if it is, something is preventing it from importing mail after 17 Nov 2007.

Unless this information gives you a clue to what's wrong and how to fix it, all this makes me wonder if a better solution might be for Poco Systems to send me a copy from their Server (where I assume they have backups of everything) of all my Mail folders, with all my mail in them, and then maybe I could use the new Barca 2.8 I downloaded last week (which I haven't tried to import to yet) to import everything from that copy? Does this make sense? Is it possible and will Poco Systems do it?

jayno wrote:I had a little play with my Barca folders and files tonight and I think we need a different strategy:

I do think so too.Something got messed up pretty badly.

I followed your suggestion and sent C Drive /Programs / BARCA 2.5 to the Recycle bin. Unfortunately this caused me to actually lose Barca! Fortunately I was able to immediately restore it from the Recycle Bin, but it does show that for some reason both folders - BARCA 2.5 & BARCA 2 are needed.

Instead of removing those to your recycle bin, could you move those to another location? By that I mean both installations. Better to start fresh instead from corrupted installations.

There are a number of FILES in C Drive / Programs / BARCA 2 that you say should be Folders - eg cache.mbx, diary.mbx, emoticoms mx (even mail.mbx) etc. In fact, all the ones you point out are shown as '0 kb' in size. I assume this means they are empty, but windows can't open them anyway.

Like I said, something bad happened. Since those files, which should be directories instead, can't be used, it's better to just deleted those.If you can't delete those files, try FileAssassin.

Let's now forget both installations and just start fresh with version 2.8.

In C Drive / Programs / BARCA I have two FILES both called "barca" and you ask why there are two, saying one should be an .exe file and the other an .ini? One is '8 kb' in size and described as "Configuration Settings 11.07.09" (I am writing this message just after midnight, but I think this date updated itself just before midnight when I deleted and then restored the Barca 2.5 folder), the other is '9,745 kb' in size and described as "Application 05.04.09".

Like I said, one file is your ini file, the other's Barca's executable.We don't need those anymore as described above.

Further down my list there is a FILE called "Copy of Barca" and you say you don't what this means. It is '8 kb' in size and described as "Configuration Settings 11.11.07". I am wondering if this file created itself when I upgraded from Barca 2 to 2.5, which would have been around then I think?

I don't think that file was created when upgrading although I could be wrong here. I've never seen it, so I'm not sure.

Anyway, whatever is right or wrong about my folders and files, the bottom line is that when I first downloaded the Barca 2.8 upgrade at the end of April 2009 and tried to import all my email to it, it only imported mails dated up to 17 Nov 2007.

Maybe it did import all your mail, but it just didn't show it.Could be your index was corrupted, so better close Barca and delete all *.idb files (index files). On restart those will be recreated.

This is still the mystery because the Mail Folder in C Drive / Programs / BARCA 2 (the only Mail folder) is very large in size and appears to have all the latest folders and mails in it. Clearly, Barca 2.8's import function isn't finding this folder, or if it is, something is preventing it from importing mail after 17 Nov 2007.

What you could do, is once Barca 2.8 is installed, is moving that mail folder to the new location. Also delete all *.idb files and be sure Barca's closed.

Unless this information gives you a clue to what's wrong and how to fix it, all this makes me wonder if a better solution might be for Poco Systems to send me a copy from their Server (where I assume they have backups of everything) of all my Mail folders, with all my mail in them, and then maybe I could use the new Barca 2.8 I downloaded last week (which I haven't tried to import to yet) to import everything from that copy? Does this make sense? Is it possible and will Poco Systems do it?

PSI won't be able to send you a copy of all your mail folders. It's not up to them to keep your mail, they just sell the software.
You're out of luck there, sorry.

I know it's a lot of work, but beginning to sort out this corruption will take a lot more of your time.

Also since there are a lot Virtumonde variants I would suggest to post an hijackthis log at one of the dedicated forums.
For more information have a look at Cleaning an hijacked computer.
Best make sure first that your PC is clean from those pests.

If this works, there should be a screenshot below of my Barca2 folder. I have done a lot of work to delete empty files, idb files, files that should be folders, and file duplicates. The "barcasystem" file highlighted in the screenshot is critical - when I temporarily deleted it, I had no Barca2.5, which is the version where all my emails are.

By experimenting with all the folders and files I finally found a way to import to Barca2.8 (which I have on my F drive), but I still cannot import mails dating after Nov 2007. It appears to me that I do not seem to have a Barca.ini file that is capturing the emails resident somehow in Barca2.5 since then - and these are the critical ones I want to hold on to and import to the Barca2.8 upgrade. Do you think there is a setting fault or is the correct/current Barca.ini file missing. If the latter, could pocosystems send me the file to add to the folder - or am I talking nonsense?

~ removed img link ... Eric ~

Last edited by jayno on Sat Jul 18, 2009 12:02 am, edited 1 time in total.

jayno wrote:If this works, there should be a screenshot below of my Barca2 folder.

Indeed it works and I can read it all.

I have done a lot of work to delete empty files, idb files, files that should be folders, and file duplicates. The "barcasystem" file highlighted in the screenshot is critical - when I temporarily deleted it, I had no Barca2.5, which is the version where all my emails are.

Quite a lot of work to clean up that mess. As for that barcasystem.ini, I don't have it here. However when you delete it with Barca closed, it will be recreated on restart.Not sure why it didn't work at your end.

By experimenting with all the folders and files I finally found a way to import to Barca2.8 (which I have on my F drive), but I still cannot import mails dating after Nov 2007. It appears to me that I do not seem to have a Barca.ini file that is capturing the emails resident somehow in Barca2.5 since then - and these are the critical ones I want to hold on to and import to the Barca2.8 upgrade. Do you think there is a setting fault or is the correct/current Barca.ini file missing. Do you think there is a setting fault or is the correct/current Barca.ini file missing.

Almost no setting needed, only the location inside your Barca Options. As for your critital emails you could put them inside one folder from your Barca 2.5 installation. When done, close 2.5 and move that folder (*.mbx) to your Mail folder from 2.8. Restart 2.8 and those email will probably be available.

One suggestion is to keep your mail and other critical data apart from your C: partition.Keep this on your drive, for example D:/Data/Barca. Also make regular backups or images from your data, as well as from your C:If something happens to your C:, you only have to restore C: and not everything.

The image looked huge on my screen Eric, but I'm not too well practised with screenshots! See if this version is any bigger:

Yep, it does look huge. Well done, because now I can read it all.
Seems OK to me. The way it should be, but keep in mind my above suggestion.

As for taking screenshots, an app like SnagIt, FastStone Capture and others, make it a lot easier.

Before I catch up with you on these, let me tell you what has happened while you have been 'away' from this thread! Although I can't make sense of what I am about to say, I have found the problem.

First I opened the Mail Folder in Barca 2.5 on my C drive. Then I opened the Mail Folder in the backup of this version that I had created on my F drive. I don't understand why, but they are different!! The C drive Mail Folder had very few items in it. The backup Mail Folder had all my email folders in it and when I checked inside several of them, they seemed right up to date with the emails within them. (see next message for screenshots)

So, I decided to try a variation of something you suggested a few messages ago. I selected and copied the backup Mail Folder then pasted it in to the Barca 2.8 Program Folder I had installed on my F drive, over-writing the specific Mail Folder in that set. [Bear in mind that the Barca 2.8 Mail Folder was created by Exporting from Barca 2.5 in the first place, but this had only inputted emails up to November 2007 - this being the original problem that I came to you with].

Then I closed down Barca 2.5 and ran Barca 2.8. It opened up with all my mail folders and all my emails right up to the present. I then created my normal email account in Barca 2.8 (not by transferring settings from Barca 2.5 but by manually typing in the settings), and I tried sending and receiving emails from/to this address and it worked ... SUCCESS!!!

Not everything is right yet with Barca 2.8 because when I then manually created the two other email accounts I normally use - one for my wife and the other linked to a website of mine - I found that I could neither send nor receive emails to either of these accounts. When I tried to send an email Barca 2.8 simply pushed the email into its Draft Folder. When I tried to receive an email (by sending from my normal (default) email address - whether I sent this from within Barca 2.8 or from Barca 2.5, I simply got send-failed error log reaction.

I have checked the account settings of these two email addresses and they are exactly the same as used in Barca 2.5, where they work fine. This baffles me completely.

Last edited by jayno on Wed Jul 22, 2009 12:04 pm, edited 1 time in total.

Here are the two different Mail Folders I refer to in my previous message Eric.

This is from C drive - programs - Barca 2.5:

This is from F drive - Barca 2.5 backup:

This last screenshot only covers the detail of three of the listed mail folders. I would have to do a much longer screenshot to cover all the folders, but the detail for all the others is pretty much the same anyway.

First I opened the Mail Folder in Barca 2.5 on my C drive. Then I opened the Mail Folder in the backup of this version that I had created on my F drive. I don't understand why, but they are different!! The C drive Mail Folder had very few items in it. The backup Mail Folder had all my email folders in it and when I checked inside several of them, they seemed right up to date with the emails within them. (see next message for screenshots)

That one on your C: drive doesn't contain anything, except the folders/files when installing Barca for the first time. How is your directory set in Barca 2.5? -> See Tools > Options > Directories

So, I decided to try a variation of something you suggested a few messages ago. I selected and copied the backup Mail Folder then pasted it in to the Barca 2.8 Program Folder I had installed on my F drive, over-writing the specific Mail Folder in that set. [Bear in mind that the Barca 2.8 Mail Folder was created by Exporting from Barca 2.5 in the first place, but this had only inputted emails up to November 2007 - this being the original problem that I came to you with].

Then I closed down Barca 2.5 and ran Barca 2.8. It opened up with all my mail folders and all my emails right up to the present. I then created my normal email account in Barca 2.8 (not by transferring settings from Barca 2.5 but by manually typing in the settings), and I tried sending and receiving emails from/to this address and it worked ... SUCCESS!!!

Good to hear you've made some progress. That 2.8 folder doesn't contain anything, I can only guess that it copied it from your 2.5 installation (barca.ini), which doesn't contain anything either.However that email account is working and your mail is showing, so that's a big step forward.

Not everything is right yet with Barca 2.8 because when I then manually created the two other email accounts I normally use - one for my wife and the other linked to a website of mine - I found that I could neither send nor receive emails to either of these accounts. When I tried to send an email Barca 2.8 simply pushed the email into its Draft Folder. When I tried to receive an email (by sending from my normal (default) email address - whether I sent this from within Barca 2.8 or from Barca 2.5, I simply got send-failed error log reaction.

Since your accounts are working in 2.5, I would suggest the following.1. Close Barca 2.82. Move the accounts.ini file to another location3. Copy your 2.5 accounts.ini to your 2.84. Restart 2.8 and try again.

Does it still put it in Draft or do you get an error? If an error, please post that error you encountered.Perhaps your firewall blocks it, since it's another Barca version. You should however get an alert of incoming/outgoing connection from your Eset firewall (not the windows firewall), unless ESS is on automatic (making the decisions for you).Can't think of anything else either! It's been quite a long time that I've used ESS!

Oh, wait a minute ... Check if your windows firewall isn't active in services. If it does, stop and close the service. Reboot afterwards.Not recommended to run two firewalls.

I have checked the account settings of these two email addresses and they are exactly the same as used in Barca 2.5, where they work fine. This baffles me completely.

If they are the same then they should work.Perhaps a little error creeped in when typing it.

This last screenshot only covers the detail of three of the listed mail folders. I would have to do a much longer screenshot to cover all the folders, but the detail for all the others is pretty much the same anyway.

First I opened the Mail Folder in Barca 2.5 on my C drive. Then I opened the Mail Folder in the backup of this version that I had created on my F drive. I don't understand why, but they are different!! The C drive Mail Folder had very few items in it. The backup Mail Folder had all my email folders in it and when I checked inside several of them, they seemed right up to date with the emails within them. (see next message for screenshots)

That one on your C: drive doesn't contain anything, except the folders/files when installing Barca for the first time. How is your directory set in Barca 2.5? -> See Tools > Options > Directories

So, I decided to try a variation of something you suggested a few messages ago. I selected and copied the backup Mail Folder then pasted it in to the Barca 2.8 Program Folder I had installed on my F drive, over-writing the specific Mail Folder in that set. [Bear in mind that the Barca 2.8 Mail Folder was created by Exporting from Barca 2.5 in the first place, but this had only inputted emails up to November 2007 - this being the original problem that I came to you with].

Then I closed down Barca 2.5 and ran Barca 2.8. It opened up with all my mail folders and all my emails right up to the present. I then created my normal email account in Barca 2.8 (not by transferring settings from Barca 2.5 but by manually typing in the settings), and I tried sending and receiving emails from/to this address and it worked ... SUCCESS!!!

Good to hear you've made some progress. That 2.8 folder doesn't contain anything, I can only guess that it copied it from your 2.5 installation (barca.ini), which doesn't contain anything either.However that email account is working and your mail is showing, so that's a big step forward.

Not everything is right yet with Barca 2.8 because when I then manually created the two other email accounts I normally use - one for my wife and the other linked to a website of mine - I found that I could neither send nor receive emails to either of these accounts. When I tried to send an email Barca 2.8 simply pushed the email into its Draft Folder. When I tried to receive an email (by sending from my normal (default) email address - whether I sent this from within Barca 2.8 or from Barca 2.5, I simply got send-failed error log reaction.

Since your accounts are working in 2.5, I would suggest the following.1. Close Barca 2.82. Move the accounts.ini file to another location3. Copy your 2.5 accounts.ini to your 2.84. Restart 2.8 and try again.

Does it still put it in Draft or do you get an error? If an error, please post that error you encountered.Perhaps your firewall blocks it, since it's another Barca version. You should however get an alert of incoming/outgoing connection from your Eset firewall (not the windows firewall), unless ESS is on automatic (making the decisions for you).Can't think of anything else either! It's been quite a long time that I've used ESS!

Oh, wait a minute ... Check if your windows firewall isn't active in services. If it does, stop and close the service. Reboot afterwards.Not recommended to run two firewalls.

I have checked the account settings of these two email addresses and they are exactly the same as used in Barca 2.5, where they work fine. This baffles me completely.

If they are the same then they should work.Perhaps a little error creeped in when typing it.

This last screenshot only covers the detail of three of the listed mail folders. I would have to do a much longer screenshot to cover all the folders, but the detail for all the others is pretty much the same anyway.